Sunday, January 16, 2011

Soca Woi!!!!

So Soca season is upon us, for many that’s a bad term as they believe it shouldn’t have a season and maybe one day it wont but not until other things change. If more artistes do albums there will be other releases to be played through out the year. The heavy production values in the music make it impactful and rhythmic and so most appropriate for Carnival. There has also become a rhythm associated with the industry in terms of releases being done just before Christmas depending on when the dates for Carnival Monday and Tuesday fall. In recent years some, namely HD Family, have been releasing music for Cropover and so there has been new music as early as August on these shores. Also the touring schedule and roll-ot of other festivals globally as the year progresses takes the focus on Soca away from its home.

Already its being said that this year’s music is this, that and the other. After last year I can say a good music year is not to me an anomaly, a bad one, though?

Benjai with his two selections, Trini and Wine to the Side was first declared as best in show. Lil Bits was too riding high on the early wave with Sweetness.

I might get jack-up for saying so but people not feeling Boy just yet. After a year off the scene, it was said to be for stoc-ktaking but I heard something else proffered recently that made me wonder if I was high.

The man of the moment is Dieffinitely Kes and it cant be said without noting the contribution of producer Kerwyn Du Bois. In a seemingly new found mainstream status, Wotless is inescapable. Some say he has broken away from his “ey ah red and from South singing soca” image and is now as “Trini” as either Promenade and the Espanade. It’s left to be seen if he will compete or just spread the gospel with Kess the Band. I last year said to a colleague that Kes doesn’t care to win competitions he wins hearts but if he decided to compete would many be broken as a less than genteel heartthrob emerges?

Consider it Done By Fay Ann (Lyons) Alvarez is one of my favorites. She is to me branding herself with a sound that marries arrogance and confidence under a coconut tree somewhere on the sister isle.

Her partner Bunji Garlin, still blazing, seems to have accepted that "two man-rat cyah live in one hole" and so while his offering, Hold a Burn represents him well, unless he comes with fresh fire I’m not sure he would get anything won.

Post-motherhood Destra Garcia is as prolific as always and doing a number of collaborations in her offerings which will keep her busy over the coming weeks. In terms of the Road March race Ms Garcia seems more like a proverbial bridesmaid and we know how that goes. Will she be a bride this year?

Nice that Saucy Wow has an early hit this season with Dingolay, for a dame as grand in the game as she is I look forward to hearing more, please Saucy please!

Also undeniably in the room is Blaxx. The infectious Tantie Woi lacks the usual strong narratives that I associate with his songs but hey! is either dance or sing come Fantastic Friday so we’ll see what happens.Its hard to deny once it plays, though.

Yes these are some of the big names and some of the big tunes with a lot more happening on the airwaves, with the pirates and even the older bards.

The guard has been changing and while me blogging about this may also be indicative of a change,life has proven there are no guarantees.